 Osborne duPont, circa 1941 | |
| Full name | Margaret Evelyn Osborne duPont |
|---|---|
| Country (sports) |  United States |
| Born | (1918-03-04)March 4, 1918 Joseph, Oregon, U.S.[1] |
| Died | October 24, 2012(2012-10-24) (aged 94) El Paso, Texas, U.S. |
| Height | 5 ft 5 in (1.65 m)[2] |
| Plays | Right-handed |
| Int. Tennis HoF | 1967(member page) |
| Singles | |
| Career record | 0–0 |
| Highest ranking | No.1 (1947) |
| Grand Slam singles results | |
| French Open | W (1946, 1949) |
| Wimbledon | W (1947) |
| US Open | W (1948, 1949, 1950) |
| Doubles | |
| Career record | 0–0 |
| Grand Slam doubles results | |
| French Open | W (1946, 1947, 1949) |
| Wimbledon | W (1946, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1954) |
| US Open | W (1941, 1942, 1943, 1944, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1955, 1956, 1957) |
| Grand Slam mixed doubles results | |
| Wimbledon | W (1962) |
| US Open | W (1943, 1944, 1945, 1946, 1950, 1956, 1958, 1959, 1960) |
Margaret Osborne duPont (bornMargaret Evelyn Osborne; March 4, 1918 – October 24, 2012) was a world No. 1 American femaletennis player.
DuPont won a total of 37 singles, women's doubles, and mixed doublesmajor titles, which places her fourth on the all-time list, despite never entering theAustralian Championships. She won 25 of those major titles at theU.S. Championships, which is an all-time record.
DuPont won sixGrand Slam tournament singles titles. She saved match points in the final of the1946 French International Championships (versusPauline Betz) and in the final of the 1948 U.S. National Championships (versusLouise Brough). The 48 games played during the 1948 final remain the most played in a women's singles final at that tournament.
DuPont teamed with Brough to win 20 Grand Slam women's doubles titles, tied withMartina Navratilova andPam Shriver for the most Grand Slam titles ever won by a women's doubles team. DuPont and Brough won nine consecutive titles at the U.S. National Championships from 1942 through 1950. They won that tournament in 12 of the 14 years they entered as a team. Their 12 titles is an all-time record for a women's doubles team at the U.S. National Championships, well-surpassing the four career titles won by the teams of Navratilova and Shriver,Doris Hart andShirley Fry, andSarah Palfrey Cooke andAlice Marble. DuPont won 13 women's doubles titles, 10 of which were in succession from 1941 through 1950, at the U.S. National Championships. Both of those are all-time records.
DuPont's nine mixed doubles titles at the U.S. National Championships is more than any other player. Four of those titles were in partnership withWilliam Talbert, which is a record for a mixed doubles team at the U.S. National Championships. One each withKen McGregor andKen Rosewall, and three were withNeale Fraser.
According to John Olliff andLance Tingay ofThe Daily Telegraph and theDaily Mail, duPont was ranked in the world top 10 from 1946 through 1950, and in 1953-1954, and in 1956-1957. She was ranked world No. 1 from 1947 through 1950. No rankings were issued from 1940 through 1945.[3][4]
DuPont was included in the year-end top 10 rankings issued by theUnited States Lawn Tennis Association in 1938, from 1941 through 1950, and in 1953, 1956 and 1958. She was the top ranked U.S. player from 1948 through 1950.[5]
From 1938 through 1958, DuPont went undefeated in 10Wightman Cup competitions, winning 10 singles and nine doubles matches. She also was the captain of the U.S. team nine times, and won eight.
Margaret marriedWilliam duPont, Jr. on November 26, 1947[6] and later interrupted her career to give birth to a son,William duPont III on July 22, 1952. She is one of the few women to win a major title after childbirth. DuPont never played the Australian Championships because her husband would not let her.
They didn't start to invite people down there and pay their expenses until I got married, and that was wintertime and Will's vacation time, and I just never got to go. He threatened to divorce me if I went to Australia, so I never went. He had that respiratory trouble, and he wanted me to come to California with him. He thought I should be with him. That was that.[7]
She later divorced duPont in 1964 and formed a life partnership with fellow playerMargaret Varner Bloss.[8]
DuPont died on October 24, 2012, while in hospice care inEl Paso, Texas, at age 94.[1]
She was inducted into theInternational Tennis Hall of Fame in 1967. TheDelaware Sports Hall of Fame inducted DuPont in 1999.[9] In 2010, she was inducted into the US Open Court of Champions.[10]
| Result | Year | Championship | Surface | Opponent | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | 1944 | U.S. Championships | Grass |  Pauline Betz | 6–3, 8–6 |
| Win | 1946 | French Championships | Clay | Pauline Betz | 1–6, 8–6, 7–5 |
| Win | 1947 | Wimbledon | Grass | Doris Hart | 6–2, 6–4 |
| Loss | 1947 | U.S. Championships | Grass | Louise Brough | 6–8, 6–4, 1–6 |
| Win | 1948 | U.S. Championships | Grass | Louise Brough | 4–6, 6–4, 15–13 |
| Win | 1949 | French Championships(2) | Clay |  Nelly Adamson-Landry | 7–5, 6–2 |
| Loss | 1949 | Wimbledon | Grass | Louise Brough | 8–10, 6–1, 8–10 |
| Win | 1949 | U.S. Championships(2) | Grass | Doris Hart | 6–3, 6–1 |
| Loss | 1950 | Wimbledon | Grass | Louise Brough | 1–6, 6–3, 1–6 |
| Win | 1950 | U.S. Championships(3) | Grass | Doris Hart | 6–4, 6–3 |
| Result | Year | Championship | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win | 1941 | U.S. Championships | Grass | Sarah Palfrey | Dorothy BundyPauline Betz | 3–6, 6–1, 6–4 |
| Win | 1942 | U.S. Championships(2) | Grass | Louise Brough | Pauline BetzDoris Hart | 2–6, 7–5, 6–0 |
| Win | 1943 | U.S. Championships(3) | Grass | Louise Brough | Pauline Betz Doris Hart | 6–4, 6–3 |
| Win | 1944 | U.S. Championships(4) | Grass | Louise Brough | Pauline Betz Doris Hart | 4–6, 6–4, 6–3 |
| Win | 1945 | U.S. Championships(5) | Grass | Louise Brough | Pauline Betz Doris Hart | 6–3, 6–3 |
| Win | 1946 | Wimbledon | Grass | Louise Brough | Pauline Betz Doris Hart | 6–3, 2–6, 6–3 |
| Win | 1946 | French Championships | Clay | Louise Brough | Pauline Betz Doris Hart | 6–4, 0–6, 6–1 |
| Win | 1946 | U.S. Championships(6) | Grass | Louise Brough | Pat Canning ToddMary Arnold Prentiss | 6–1, 6–3 |
| Loss | 1947 | Wimbledon | Grass | Louise Brough | Doris Hart Pat Canning Todd | 3–6, 6–4, 7–5 |
| Win | 1947 | French Championships(2) | Clay | Louise Brough | Pauline Betz Pat Canning Todd | 7–5, 6–2 |
| Win | 1947 | U.S. Championships(7) | Grass | Louise Brough | Pat Canning Todd Doris Hart | 5–7, 6–3, 7–5 |
| Win | 1948 | Wimbledon(2) | Grass | Louise Brough | Doris Hart Pat Canning Todd | 6–3, 3–6, 6–3 |
| Win | 1948 | U.S. Championships(8) | Grass | Louise Brough | Pat Canning Todd Doris Hart | 6–4, 8–10, 6–1 |
| Win | 1949 | French Championships(3) | Clay | Louise Brough |  Joy GannonBetty Hilton | 7–5, 6–1 |
| Win | 1949 | Wimbledon(3) | Grass | Louise Brough | Gussy Moran Pat Canning Todd | 8–6, 7–5 |
| Win | 1949 | U.S. Championships(9) | Grass | Louise Brough | Doris HartShirley Fry | 6–4, 10–8 |
| Loss | 1950 | French Championships | Clay | Louise Brough | Doris Hart Shirley Fry | 1–6, 7–5, 6–2 |
| Win | 1950 | Wimbledon(4) | Grass | Louise Brough | Shirley Fry Doris Hart | 6–4, 5–7, 6–1 |
| Win | 1950 | U.S. Championships(10) | Grass | Louise Brough | Doris Hart Shirley Fry | 6–2, 6–3 |
| Loss | 1951 | Wimbledon | Grass | Louise Brough | Shirley Fry Doris Hart | 6–3, 13–11 |
| Loss | 1953 | U.S. Championships | Grass | Louise Brough | Doris Hart Shirley Fry | 6–2, 7–9, 9–7 |
| Win | 1954 | Wimbledon(5) | Grass | Louise Brough | Shirley Fry Doris Hart | 4–6, 9–7, 6–3 |
| Loss | 1954 | U.S. Championships | Grass | Louise Brough | Doris Hart Shirley Fry | 6–4, 6–4 |
| Win | 1955 | U.S. Championships(11) | Grass | Louise Brough | Doris Hart Shirley Fry | 6–3, 1–6, 6–3 |
| Win | 1956 | U.S. Championships(12) | Grass | Louise Brough | Betty Rosenquest Pratt Shirley Fry | 6–3, 6–0 |
| Win | 1957 | U.S. Championships(13) | Grass | Louise Brough | Althea GibsonDarlene Hard | 6–2, 7–5 |
| Loss | 1958 | Wimbledon(5) | Grass | Margaret Varner |  Maria Bueno Althea Gibson | 3–6, 5–7 |
| Result | Year | Championship | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win | 1943 | U.S. Championships | Grass |  Bill Talbert | Pauline BetzPancho Segura | 10–6, 6–4 |
| Win | 1944 | U.S. Championships | Grass | Bill Talbert | Dorothy BundyDon McNeill | 6–2, 6–3 |
| Win | 1945 | U.S. Championships | Grass | Bill Talbert | Doris HartBob Falkenburg | 6–4, 6–4 |
| Win | 1946 | U.S. Championships | Grass | Bill Talbert | Louise BroughRobert Kimbrell | 6–3, 6–4 |
| Loss | 1948 | U.S. Championships | Grass | Bill Talbert | Louise BroughTom Brown | 4–6, 4–6 |
| Loss | 1949 | U.S. Championships | Grass | Bill Talbert | Louise Brough Eric Sturgess | 6–4, 3–6, 5–7 |
| Win | 1950 | U.S. Championships | Grass |  Ken McGregor | Doris HartFrank Sedgman | 6–4, 3–6, 6–3 |
| Loss | 1954 | Wimbledon | Grass | Ken Rosewall | Doris HartVic Seixas | 7–5, 4–6, 3–6 |
| Loss | 1954 | U.S. Championships | Grass | Ken Rosewall | Doris HartVic Seixas | 6–4, 1–6, 1–6 |
| Win | 1956 | U.S. Championships | Grass | Ken Rosewall | Darlene HardLew Hoad | 9–7, 6–1 |
| Win | 1958 | U.S. Championships | Grass | Neale Fraser | Maria BuenoAlex Olmedo | 6–3, 3–6, 9–7 |
| Win | 1959 | U.S. Championships | Grass | Neale Fraser | Janet HoppsBob Mark | 7–5, 13–15, 6–2 |
| Win | 1960 | U.S. Championships | Grass | Neale Fraser | Maria Bueno Antonio Palafox | 6–3, 6–2 |
| Win | 1962 | Wimbledon | Grass | Neale Fraser | Ann HaydonDennis Ralston | 2–6, 6–3, 13–11 |
| W | F | SF | QF | #R | RR | Q# | DNQ | A | NH |
| Tournament | 1938 | 1939 | 1940 | 1941 | 1942 | 1943 | 1944 | 1945 | 19461 | 19471 | 1948 | 1949 | 1950 | 1951 | 1952 | 1953 | 1954 | 1955 | 1956 | 1957 | 1958 | 1959 | 1960 | 1961 | 1962 | Career SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australian Championships | A | A | A | NH | NH | NH | NH | NH | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | 0 / 0 |
| French Championships | A | A | NH | R | R | R | R | A | W | SF | A | W | QF | SF | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | 2 / 5 |
| Wimbledon | A | A | NH | NH | NH | NH | NH | NH | SF | W | SF | F | F | QF | A | A | QF | A | A | A | QF | A | A | A | 1R | 1 / 9 |
| U.S. Championships | 2R | A | 3R | SF | SF | QF | F | QF | QF | F | W | W | W | A | A | QF | 3R | A | QF | A | 3R | A | 1R | A | A | 3 / 17 |
| SR | 0 / 1 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 1 | 1 / 3 | 1 / 3 | 1 / 2 | 2 / 3 | 1 / 3 | 0 / 2 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 2 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 2 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 1 | 6 / 31 |
| Tournament | 1936 | 1937 | 1938 | 1939 | 1940 | 1941 | 1942 | 1943 | 1944 | 1945 | 19461 | 19471 | 1948 | 1949 | 1950 | 1951 | 1952 | 1953 | 1954 | 1955 | 1956 | 1957 | 1958 | 1959 | 1960 | 1961 | 1962 | Career SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australian Championships | A | A | A | A | A | NH | NH | NH | NH | NH | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | 0 / 0 |
| French Championships | A | A | A | A | NH | R | R | R | R | A | W | W | A | W | F | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | 3 / 4 |
| Wimbledon | A | A | A | A | NH | NH | NH | NH | NH | NH | W | F | W | W | W | F | A | A | W | A | A | A | F | A | A | A | 3R | 5 / 9 |
| U.S. Championships | QF | A | 1R | A | QF | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | A | A | F | F | W | W | W | QF | QF | A | SF | SF | 13 / 22 |
| SR | 0 / 1 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 1 | 1 / 1 | 1 / 1 | 1 / 1 | 1 / 1 | 1 / 1 | 3 / 3 | 2 / 3 | 2 / 2 | 3 / 3 | 2 / 3 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 1 | 1 / 2 | 1 / 1 | 1 / 1 | 1 / 1 | 0 / 2 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 2 | 21 / 35 |
| Tournament | 1936 | 1937 | 1938 | 1939 | 1940 | 1941 | 1942 | 1943 | 1944 | 1945 | 19461 | 19471 | 1948 | 1949 | 1950 | 1951 | 1952 | 1953 | 1954 | 1955 | 1956 | 1957 | 1958 | 1959 | 1960 | 1961 | 1962 | Career SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australian Championships | A | A | A | A | A | NH | NH | NH | NH | NH | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | 0 / 0 |
| French Championships | A | A | A | A | NH | R | R | R | R | A | A | A | A | A | A | SF | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | 0 / 1 |
| Wimbledon | A | A | A | A | NH | NH | NH | NH | NH | NH | SF | SF | SF | 4R | 4R | SF | A | A | F | A | A | A | 2R | A | A | A | W | 1 / 9 |
| U.S. Championships | 2R | A | 2R | A | SF | 2R | SF | W | W | W | W | SF | F | F | W | A | A | A | F | ? | W | SF | W | W | W | A | A | 9 / ? |
| SR | 0 / 1 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 1 | 1 / 1 | 1 / 1 | 1 / 1 | 1 / 2 | 0 / 2 | 0 / 2 | 0 / 2 | 1 / 2 | 0 / 2 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 2 | 0 / ? | 1 / 1 | 0 / 1 | 1 / 2 | 1 / 1 | 1 / 1 | 0 / 0 | 1 /1 | 10 / ? |
R = tournament restricted to French nationals and held underGerman occupation.
1In 1946 and 1947, the French Championships were held after Wimbledon.
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
